Expressive Portraiture

Weeks 1-2: Observation and Sketches

The unit began with students looking deeply at works of art. An extended observation period allowed students to experience quality in art before they would generate their own unique works. To establish why and how a portrait is drawn, students were asked to closely observe several works of art, including a Self Portrait by Albrecht Durer and Courbet’s Desperate Man. They then responded to a series of questions about the work.

Gustave Courbet, The Desperate Man

Students then made an attempt to sketch expressively:

After learning how to draw the basic anatomy of the human race, students were asked to determine how expression impacts the shapes on a human face. By looking at a masterwork, students discovered how artists achieved expressiveness in their work.

Students used this experience to create a set of criteria for successful expressive portraiture.